This year’s IEEE High Performance Extreme Computing (HPEC) conference once again brought together leading minds in high-performance and embedded computing to share groundbreaking advancements and foster collaboration.
Reporting by Helen Hill for MGHPCC
Last week’s HPEC Conference was a hub of innovation, featuring thought-provoking keynote speeches, dynamic sessions, and special events that underscored the latest research and technological developments.
The conference commenced with an inspiring keynote by Prof. Peter Fisher, MIT Vice Provost and Associate VP for Research Computing & Data. His address, titled “Where We Stand: Education, Research, and High Performance Computing,” provided a comprehensive overview of the current state and future prospects of high-performance computing (HPC) in academia and research.
Later that day, Prof. Shafi Goldwasser, Director of the Simons Theory of Computing Institute and ACM A.M. Turing Award laureate, captivated the audience with her keynote on “Verification in Machine Learning.” Goldwasser delved into the essential role of verification in ensuring the accuracy and dependability of machine learning models.
The lineup of distinguished keynote speakers continued with Dr. Tina Kaarsberg from the DOE Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office. Her presentation, “Energy Efficiency Scaling for 2 Decades (EES2) Roadmap for Computing,” focused on long-term strategies for enhancing energy efficiency in computing.
Dr. Scott Yockel, Harvard University’s Research Computing Officer, delivered an insightful talk on “The Building Blocks of Cloud – Research Enablement,” highlighting the transformative impact of cloud computing on research capabilities and scientific discovery.
Dr. Dan Stanzione, Associate VP for Research at the University of Texas and Director of the Advanced Computing Center, addressed the convergence of computing paradigms in his keynote, “Convergence across the Computing Continuum: The NSF Leadership Class Computing Facility meets the Edge, Interactive Computing, and Low-Precision AI.” His discussion emphasized the integration of diverse computing approaches to boost research and application performance.
The final keynote was presented by Dr. Eric Evans, former Director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Chair of the Defense Science Board. His talk on “AI/ML Applications for Global Security” explored the significant impact of artificial intelligence and machine learning on global security initiatives.
Throughout the week, HPEC 2024 featured numerous poster sessions where researchers showcased their latest findings. These sessions facilitated in-depth discussions and provided attendees with the opportunity to engage directly with the presenters. A notable tutorial on “Spiral” offered participants hands-on experience with advanced computing techniques.
One of the conference highlights was the Graph Challenge, which encouraged innovative solutions for graph analytics problems. This event demonstrated the creativity and technical expertise of the participants, with several remarkable solutions being presented.
Panel discussions on topics such as “Large AI Models,” “AI at Scale and AI on the Edge,” and “Innovative Computing” brought together experts from academia, industry, and government. These panels provided a platform for discussing the challenges and opportunities in these rapidly evolving fields.
HPEC 2024 also offered numerous networking opportunities, including virtual meetups and breakout sessions. These events enabled participants to connect with peers, share ideas, and explore potential collaborations, fostering a vibrant community of innovators and researchers.
Overall, IEEE-HPEC 2024 was a resounding success, offering a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in high-performance and embedded computing. The keynote speeches, special events, and networking opportunities made it an invaluable experience for all attendees, promoting innovation and collaboration within the HPC community.
